At this point, the injuries are not worrisome as much as being a nuisance.

As the Chargers prepare to practice in front of fans at Qualcomm Stadium tonight, a number of players (Antwan Applewhite, Antoine Cason, James Holt, Scott Mruczkowski, Legedu Naanee, Mike Tolbert) have missed consecutive practices.

“It concerns me, because this is time where you become a team and get your work done,” Norv Turner said. “The grind is good for everybody and it’s critical for young guys.”

Cason is among those who might practice tonight. All of the players said they are no more than a few days from returning, and Turner said none of the injuries are serious. In the case of all but Cason and Tolbert, the players are experiencing some sort of after-effect of offseason surgery and/or not practicing during the spring while rehabilitating an injury.

Being that the first preseason game is more than a week away and the regular season is more than a month from now, the Chargers will be cautious.

“I’m taking my time with it,” said Applewhite, who played in just one game and finished last season on injured reserve. “No reason to rush. We’ve got a little while to the season. I don’t want to miss the season like I did last year … Like any other major surgery. It takes a little while to come back.”

Established players being down does give other players a chance to show what they can do with more significant snaps.

For instance, with Tolbert out, Shawnbrey McNeal and Marcus Mason are getting a few more snaps (and against better competition) at tailback and Billy Latsko and Richie Brockel are getting the same at fullback. Josh Reed and the rookie receivers are getting more balls thrown their way with Naanee out. Nathan Vasher has worked five straight practices for Cason, which also means Dante Hughes has moved up from the third to the second team.

Turner stopped short of saying there was a competition at corner, but he has been effusive in his praise for Vasher.

"Nathan Vasher looks like the star of the camp,” Turner said. “... That’s the biggest concern, if you ask guys missing time -- let someone take all the reps at your spot, it might become his spot."

Donald Butler, their second pick in April's draft, to a torn Achilles' tendon.
Butler sustained the injury planting to run during a passing drill in Tuesday's practice. He is expected to miss his entire rookie season.

“He’s a heck of a kid and a talented guy that I think was going to be a part of what we do,” Norv Turner said. “Obviously, we’ve been through this. We’ve got to find a way to get the other guys involved. I think we have enough guys in there."

The Chargers also announced that wide receiver Bryan Walters has been placed on the “Waived-Injured” list (hamstring). If he is not claimed by another team, Walters will be placed on the Chargers’ “Reserve-Injured” list.

Buster Davis, who had worked the entirety of all 11 training camp practices and gotten more snaps due to other receivers being banged up, watched Thursday’s team drills from the sideline with a balky hamstring.

“He didn’t want to pull it and miss a week,” head coach Norv Turner said.

Davis, the Chargers’ first-round pick in 2007, has amassed just 30 career receptions while dealing with a major groin injury and a whole bunch of little injuries that stemmed from it.
“It’s a good feeling to be out here,” Davis said. “I have the drive to want to stay out here, to not want to go back in the training room, where I’ve been in the past.”
The seven consecutive days of practice are acknowledged as an unofficial record for Davis.

“He’s really been steady this camp and this whole offseason and it’s exciting,” Philip Rivers said. “The consistency with which he’s practicing stands out. He’s tired, he’s beat up … But he’s fighting like crazy to be out there every practice. He seems to have developed a mentality and a toughness – not that he hasn’t had it, but you grow as a player.”

Among the few thousand spectators at Qualcomm Stadium for the annual FanFest today were two large gents who might’ve otherwise been out on the field as starters in the Chargers’ live scrimmage.
Offensive tackle Brandyn Dombrowski was sidelined with groin tightness and linebacker Larry English was kept out with a sore foot, though head coach Norv Turner indicated that both would play if it was a game instead of a workout.
“I’ll be back at practice Monday,” said Dombrowski. “It just tightened up on me and we don’t want to take a chance with it. Better safe than sorry.”
The Chargers’ offensive-line situation, specifically at left offensive tackle, is tenuous enough. Still at least a week away from a return from arthroscopic knee surgery is Tra Thomas , the veteran brought in as insurance against the holdout of Marcus McNeill, and the absence of Dombrowski had Tyronne Green starting at the position with the first unit Saturday. Drafted as a guard last year, Green since has played guard and right tackle, but not left tackle until the Fan Fest.
Noting that English had a “great practice two days ago,” Turner said the linebacker irritated his foot in the process. “What we’re doing,” said Turner, “is pulling back before it becomes something chronic.”

Offensive tackle Brandyn Dombrowski was sidelined from Saturday’s FanFest practice with groin tightness and linebacker Larry English was kept out with a sore foot, though head coach Norv Turner indicated that both would play if it was a game instead of a workout.

“I’ll be back at practice Monday,” Dombrowski said. “It just tightened up on me and we don’t want to take a chance with it. Better safe than sorry.”

The Chargers’ offensive-line situation, specifically at left tackle, is tenuous enough. Still at least a week away from a return from arthroscopic knee surgery is Tra Thomas , the veteran brought in as insurance against the holdout of Marcus McNeill, and the absence of Dombrowski had Tyronne Green starting at the position with the first unit Saturday. Drafted as a guard last year, Green since has played guard and right tackle, but not left tackle until Saturday.

Noting that English had a “great practice two days ago,” Turner said the linebacker irritated his foot in the process. “What we’re doing,” said Turner, “is pulling back before it becomes something chronic.”

Antwan Applewhite, Antoine Cason and Mike Tolbert returned, all having missed a week with hamstring tightness, but they did not practice the entire time.

Being cautious in training camp is a trademark of Norv Turner's regime. And while that may contribute to the Chargers starting each of his three seasons with a 2-3 record, it may also have something to do with them being healthy enough to have gone undefeated in December while he's been the head coach.

With a roster that is pretty much set, the Chargers will continue to be cautious as the preseason starts.

The one player who is suffering more than most by having missed the past six practices is rookie safety Darrell Stuckey. He got banged up in Wednesday night's practice and hasn't worked since. In his absence, Steve Gregory and Paul Oliver are playing well -- Oliver extremely so. Don't be surprised to see him on the field more.

Corey Clark, drafted in 2008 but inactive or on the practice squad much of his two seasons, essentially retired over the weekend. Clark had been moved from tackle to guard and was unlikely to make the team.

Inside linebacker Brandon Siler is in a boot after injuring his ankle in Saturday's practice.

Backup center Scott Mruczkowski was expected to work the entire practice after sitting out most of last week with an ankle sprain. But he got rolled up on in the first team drill and didn't work again.

Nick Richmond, an undrafted free agent tackle, will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and miss a couple weeks. Richmond has likely not been able to show his athleticism as he has been bothered by the knee. Look for him to play the final two preseason games and make the practice squad.

Tyronne Green was going to make the team anyway, but his work at right and left tackle the past two weeks have cemented his spot.

Antoine Cason wanted back on the field. He came to Chargers Park every morning the past week thinking that would be the day he would be given the green light.
For six days, encompassing nine practices, Cason would test his tender hamstring, then tell head athletic trainer James Collins how he felt. Collins would confer with head coach Norv Turner, and the decision would be made to keep the brakes on.
Finally, Monday morning, Cason was given a yellow light, allowed to take part in individual drills. The full go came in the afternoon, as the Chargers’ starting right cornerback returned to practicing without restrictions.
“When I got out there I knew I’d be able to plant, run, do the things I left off doing,” Cason said.
That is the Chargers’ hope for a plethora of players with which the team is being extremely cautious.
The protectiveness is widespread, but nowhere is it more noticeable than at left tackle, where a “tight” groin has sidelined expected starter Brandyn Dombrowski the past three practices, sending Chargerdom into a frenzy over the perilous state of the position.
With Marcus McNeill holding out and expected to do so for some time, backup Tra Thomas sidelined another week following arthroscopic knee surgery and third-teamer Nick Richmond having a date for the same procedure, the Chargers have moved backup right tackle Tyronne Green over to run with the first team at left tackle.
In addition to what he said is the benefit of seeing what Green can do, the machinations are worth it to Turner.
“With strained muscles,” he said, “you rush them back and they turn chronic.”
Dombrowski is antsy but pragmatic.
“I know what they’re doing,” he said. “It sucks sitting on the sidelines. But in the long run, I want to play for the whole year.”
The Chargers are almost two weeks into what is shaping up as a highly physical camp. There are, especially on defense, more battles for playing time and roster spots than usual. That stokes competition, which begets intensity.
But the team also has a pretty good idea about who most of its players will be come the season opener on September 13. With that in mind, Turner and Collins are proceeding prudently with a number of maladies so minor it would be a stretch to call them injuries.
Even when players are brought back, it is mostly being done incrementally.
Linebacker Antwan Applewhite, receiver Buster Davis and fullback Mike Tolbert have spent varying lengths of time over the past week watching practices, working inside and on a side field to rest and rehabilitate sore hamstrings. After a week, Tolbert and Applewhite worked some of both practices on Monday. Davis worked individual drills in the afternoon.
Also sitting out at least one practice Monday: tight end Antonio Gates, who missed his first practice of camp in the afternoon with a sore hamstring; outside linebacker Larry English, out for the second time with a foot strain; backup center Scott Mruczkowski returned to work after a week nursing an injured ankle that was promptly rolled up on and by the afternoon was back in the walking boot he sported last week; inside linebacker Brandon Siler, who hurt his ankle Saturday and is in a boot.
Receiver Legedu Naanee was out all last week with a tender groin, a likely result of his working hard to come back from offseason foot surgery. Naanee worked all of Monday afternoon’s practice, though not taking as many reps as he normally would.
Ready to attack what is his best chance at playing time, Naanee has expressed frustration at losing reps with quarterback Philip Rivers. But he knows it would be foolish to start the season at less than 100 percent
“I want to come in full speed and play all the way through,” he said.
Fortunately for the Chargers, most of the ailing players have been on the team for a while.
That cannot be said for rookie safety Darrell Stuckey. After starting camp strong, he has missed every practice since tweaking his groin Wednesday night.
“Of all the guys missing time, it’s probably affected him more than anyone,” Turner said.
Turner was adamant that while “we need to get ready,” he would carry the caution into Saturday’s preseason opener. If players can’t go full on Thursday or don’t come out of that practice 100 percent, they won’t play against the Chicago Bears.
Among those Turner will be watching closely is one player who hasn’t missed a practice but has been held back a tad.
As opposed to the annual practice of limiting and even eliminating LaDainian Tomlinson’s touches in preseason games, Turner would like to see rookie Ryan Mathews in a number of situations Saturday. But a “tight” hamstring could affect those plans.
“If he’s ready to go and healthy, I want to give him a pretty good dose,” Turner said. “That pretty good dose will depend on how I feel as the game is going on.”

Not necessarily an injury comment but anyone else see how Norv talks about Mathews, Tolbert and Sproles. Methinks he sees Yogi now more as a RB than a FB. It might save Hester his job as a supposed FB.

8-10-2010 - WR Buster Davis (foot) returned to practice Tuesday after being out since Thursday evening. Davis, who has been plagued throughout his career by injuries, needs to stay healthy if he is to beat out Legedu Naanee for a starting job

8-10-2010 - OG Kris Dielman (neck) missed practice Tuesday and is day to day. G Tyronne Green, who has been playing LT in replace of Brandyn Dombrowski, moved to Dielman’s spot on the offensive line. Dombrowski returned from groin stiffness and played LT.

The Chargers won't rush players who aren't 100 percent. If a guy doesn't work Thursday, he almost certainly will not play in Saturday's preseason opener.
Thus, we might not be seeing left guard Kris Dielman, who jammed his neck Monday, against the Bears.
Dielman's injury is not considered serious, but he is in pain and missed his second straight practice this morning.
"If Kris isn't practicing, he's not right," Norv Turner said. "He doesn't miss practice."
Dielman has missed just two starts since taking over the job from Toniu Fonoti in the third week of 2005.

Tra Thomas, who had arthroscopic knee surgery a little more than a week ago, ran on the side this morning. He will not play Saturday but should return to practice soon.

Brandon Siler returned to practice after missing three days with an ankle injury.

Larry English (foot) and Scott Mruczkowski (ankle) remain sidelined. Jyles Tucker worked with the first team in his place. Antwan Applewhite has worked with the starters as well. With English out, undrafted rookie Brandon Lang is getting work with the second team and clearly flashes some ability. He is making an adjustment from defensive end and all the extra assignments that come with that.

Darrell Stuckey worked individual drills but not team periods for a second straight practice.

LT Tra Thomas, who last week had his knee scoped, jogged under the supervision of a trainer on Thursday morning. This is a good sign that Thomas will be back soon adding much needed depth at the left tackle position.

The Chargers held a walk-through Thursday morning and a glorified one in the afternoon, going about half speed through team drills.

A physical camp is winding down as the preseason gets underway on Saturday night against the Chicago Bears.

Norv Turner said whether some players who sat out Thursday play Saturday will depend on who the player is, how much work he needs and whether they really need to see him.

At this point, it seems doubtful that Darren Sproles will play after hurting his shoulder Wednesday. He said he's "fine" and "It's just a little something." He would also like to get some live reps, especially returning kicks. But there are three exhibitions left after Saturday. Also, Sproles fields about 5,000 kicks every offseason. He knows how to catch.

Outside linebacker Larry English, who looked much improved early in camp, is not going to play. He has what is being called a muscle strain in his foot.

Left guard Kris Dielman and wide receiver Malcom Floyd returned to practice Thursday and will likely play against the Bears.

Running back Darren Sproles will not play in Saturday night's preseason opener against the Chicago Bears due to a shoulder injury he sustained in Wednesday's practice. The injury is not believed to be serious.

Rookie safety Darrell Stuckey, who has been rehabbing a groin strain that has kept him out of practice since Aug. 4, is expected to return to work team drills this afternoon on a "limited" basis, according to Norv Turner.
Stuckey, drafted in the fourth round, has worked individual drills since the middle of last week. He would presumably see some action in team drills today and could play Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys.
While Stuckey began camp strongly, showing his speed and a penchant for learning quickly, the Chargers never intended to use him as an every down player this season. He is going to be the strong safety in the Chargers' base defense, working primarily against the run.
That makes his injury less troubling to the Chargers.
"He's going to play in one personnel package, on first and second down," Turner said. "The learning issue isn't as extensive as if he were being asked to play in all personnel groups and all situations. Based on what I saw of him and how he handles things, I'm not concerned about where he is. Now, if he were to have a setback, I'd be concerned."

• No.1 receiver Malcom Floyd worked only individual drills and then rested. With Vincent Jackson out, Floyd has been Rivers’ favorite target in practice. “He’s gotten a lot of reps. I didn’t want him to practice at all. He wanted to get the individual work.”
• Receiver Buster Davis did not practice after working individual drills on Tuesday. He has a hip injury suffered after being hit returning a punt Saturday. Davis has had a fantastic camp when healthy, and the Chargers appear committed to giving him every chance to make the roster. However, it is acknowledged that he needs to stay healthy to earn and retain that spot.
• Backup center and guard Scott Mruczkowski and inside linebacker Brandon Siler remain sidelined with ankle injuries.
An Achilles’ injury Merriman has battled for several years flared up Tuesday night, and Merriman will almost certainly miss Saturday’s game.

SS Darrell Stuckey is behind. Missing 12 practices with a hamstring problem set the rookie back and has allowed Steve Gregory to assume full-time duty with the first team. The team still has faith in Stuckey's abilities, and they're giving him time to progress. "The time he's missed has hurt him and he needs to get caught up," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "He won't start on Friday, but he'll get in there at some point."

-- OLB Shawne Merriman missed another practice with an Achilles' tendon injury. It's doubtful that he'll practice in the near future and will miss Friday's preseason game against New Orleans. The Chargers are being cautious with the injury, hoping to avoid the chronic ailments that plagued him last season.

-- OL Tyronne Green (ankle) and ILB Brandon Siler (ankle) returned to practice and LT Nick Richmond (knee) was limited in his first practice back from arthroscopic knee surgery. LB James Holt (hip) was also limited in practice.